My Journey from Designer Life to Living Art
As a designer by profession, I spend most of my days crafting user experiences, thinking through details, and aligning every element to create a cohesive whole. With years of practice, designing has become second nature to me. So naturally, I tried applying this same approach to many instances in my own life. I set goals, planned my path in intricate detail, and set out to design a life that fit a perfect vision.
But life, as I gradually realized, has a way of diverging from even the best-laid plans. Despite all my efforts to “design” my path forward, I often found myself facing unexpected deviations and setbacks. Over time, I discovered that, while I might excel at designing products and experiences, I couldn’t approach my life in the same way. The constant need to control every detail of my journey was exhausting, and at times, left me feeling disconnected from the true essence of life.
I learned that life isn’t a project to design. It’s a journey.
From Designer to Artist: The Shift in Perspective
As the day passed and the realities of life unfolded, I realized that maybe my professional design approach was causing more resistance than relief. What if, instead of meticulously planning every step, I took a different approach—one that allowed for spontaneity and freedom? This thought sparked a shift within me, inviting me to consider a new way of experiencing life. Instead of designing every moment, I could try to simply observe and appreciate it, like an artist.
An artist doesn’t have a rigid blueprint; they work with what’s in front of them, adapting to the changing strokes and textures, finding beauty in unexpected creations. They have a vision, yes, but they also embrace the unplanned moments, knowing that these twists often add depth to the final piece. Embracing life as an artist means allowing it to unfold without constant interference. It’s an invitation to live in the flow of life, rather than attempting to force it to our will.
Letting Go: Observing Life’s Unplanned Beauty
As I adopted this artist’s mindset, I felt the weight of rigid expectations lift. Rather than feeling the need to design each aspect of my life, I allowed myself to let go and observe. I watched as my days naturally unfolded, often in ways I hadn’t foreseen but couldn’t have planned better if I tried. Through this process, I began to notice a beauty in the unexpected—a charm that doesn’t exist when we force things into neat little boxes.
Even the perfectionist in me had to step back. As a designer, perfection is a habit. But in life, I had to learn that waiting for perfection only holds us back. Moving forward despite imperfections was a key lesson. Life doesn’t need to be flawless to be meaningful, and embracing imperfection became essential to my growth.
Designer and Artist: Balancing Time, Space, and Spiritual Growth
One thing I realized on this journey was how a designer’s world is bound by time and space. Every project, every creation by designer is bound by time and space. We work within these limits to shape reality. But an artist? They create without the constraints of time or space, transcending boundaries and often reflecting the essence of life itself. This distinction is essential in a spiritual journey as well—where the goal is to go beyond what we see and touch and reach into the infinite, where life’s meaning isn’t bound by time and space.
This balance—designing within time and space yet creating beyond it—is powerful. It’s allowed me to approach life with both intention and freedom. I set my goals, but I also give myself permission to let go, observe, and appreciate the bigger picture with imperfection.
In Conclusion: The Power of Letting Life Flow
As someone who values control and precision, stepping into the role of an artist was both challenging and liberating. It took me time to trust that letting go didn’t mean losing direction, but rather gaining the freedom to adapt, learn, and grow in a more authentic way.
The shift from designer to artist has enriched my spiritual journey, teaching me to appreciate life as it is—even with its imperfections.
Now, I invite you to reflect: Are there areas in your life where a lighter touch, an artist’s eye, could bring more joy and peace? Life is happening right in front of everybody; sometimes, the best design is to simply step back and let it flow.
Let me know in the comments—have you ever felt the need to let go and observe life as an artist?
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